Tricks of love
by Asake-chan
Summary: Naruto's making mischief again, but what happens when his misunderstanding causes a realization that may be hard to accept? IrukaxKakashi.
1. Prank

Authors note: A. I don't own Naruto.

B. I am completely rewriting this story, so all previous chapters will be taken down and re-posted as they are rewritten and actually planned out in a better fashion this time. Thank you all for understanding, and if you enjoyed this the first time hopefully you'll enjoy it in its new form as well! The first two chapters will be pretty much the same thing, just longer, but chapter three will start heading a new direction!

Naruto had a plan. A plan of revenge. A plan that involved wiping that smug smile (at least Naruto thought it was a smile, the mask made it hard to tell) from his Sensei's face. There was no chance it would fail….everyone would revel at and bow to Naruto's immense cleverness. All the pieces were in place, all persons unsuspecting.

Hehehehehehehehe. Naruto grinned, his eyes sparkling, and then his form disappeared in a puff of ninjutsu smoke.

* * *

Iruka sat at his desk in the schoolroom, fighting the urge to give the entire class detention. Every one of them was so talented they didn't feel the need to study; when test time came they guessed and hoped they got it right. The problematic part was that they often did. His frustrated musing was broken by a light knock on the door, and through the tinted glass he was Kakashi waving from outside. Iruka stood up grimly. To be interrupting him this early it must be something to do with Naruto. The boy was like a son to him, but by the Hokage couldn't he ever stay out of trouble?

"Class, continue reading section 3.5- Fire Jutsu. I'll be back in just a moment." 'Hopefully' he added as he stepped into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind him.

"What is it Kakashi?" Iruka said in a resigned voice.

"Iruka, there is a serious matter that must be solved." Iruka looked at him expectantly. Something felt off. Iruka would have sworn something was odd about Kakashi today, he seemed taller, or perhaps his worry was affecting his senses. "It was existed for quite some time, but I decided now was the appropriate moment to address it." Kakashi's voice was solemn, serious. His one uncovered eye burrowed into Iruka's anxious gaze. Iruka's face paled. This was about Naruto then! The boy's pranks would one day expel him from ninja training if he kept it up.

"Just tell me what's wrong and I'll be sure to lecture him about it over Ramen tonight!." Iruka gestured in understand at Naruto's ridiculous ways.

"Him? Oh! You mean Uzumaki. No, this isn't about him for once, though I'm sure he'd appreciate the ramen." Kakashi's aura transformed into one of even more intense seriousness, and he took a final step towards the teacher.

"No, Iruka, this is about you." Iruka's eyes widened, comprehension far from his reach. Kakashi's voice sounded so…intense and for lack of a better word, sultry. A deadly silence continued to descend as Kakashi place his hand around Iruka's waist and pulled their bodies together. A scarce few inches kept their vests from meeting. He could feel Kakashi's breath on his face, and the warmth from Kakashi's skin. Chills ran down Iruka's spine, whether from fright or pleasure he couldn't say.

Finally, placing his lips so close to Iruka's ear that he could feel their gentle movement, Kakashi whispered. "Meet me tonight at the edge of the forest at moonrise, near the swing." With a mischievous glint in his eye Kakashi broke the embrace. Iruka stood frozen while Kakashi calmly strutted down the hall, and out of sight.

What the hell!

* * *

Naruto undid the jutsu once he was outside the school grounds. Perfect! Iruka hadn't reacted quite like he'd imagined, he'd expected much more yelling or irritation, but this worked fine. Revenge would still be revenge. He hoped his depiction of Kakashi had been alright, and that his suggestion of Ramen would stick until he received an opening to take advantage of it.

Now he had to ensure that Kakashi arrived at the same time. He had seen Iruka's wrath before, and it even made him, the brave, daring Uzumaki Naruto quake in fear! Sensei didn't stand a chance.

The Jounin was outside training with Sakura and Sasuke. "Sakura, not so much energy. You want to stun your opponent, not crush them. And Sasuke, please…." Kakashi looked off to his right to see a far too energetic Naruto approaching the group. "Well, look who it is. You're finally here. Brat."

"Sorry Sensei! Iruka asked me to run a few errands, and to give this to you." Naruto help out a thin scroll sealed with wax. Iruka. That explained Naruto's gigantic grin, Iruka was the closest thing Naruto had to a father, and since Kakashi took over his training he didn't think Naruto had seen him as much. That, however, was no excuse for lateness. Kakashi took the scroll and tucked it away in a pocket.

"Now, Naruto, as punishment for being late, you and Sasuke get this class D mission I picked up for you. Collecting the city garbage." Naruto's expression fell, his eyes twitched.

"What! Why do I have to work with dumbass here! And why isn't Sakura helping us!" Kakashi ears grimaced at Naruto's screechy tone turning every question into an exclamation.

"Because Sakura still needs help with this jutsu and you two are free. Go!"

Kakashi waited until supper to open the scroll. It was one line of hastily scrawling writing, with an unusual request.

"Come to the edge of the forest at moonrise, near the swing." It contained Iruka's signature, but the wording was awkward. Iruka was a teacher, if anything he was the pickiest ninja in the village as far as writing was concerned. It could be a joke, one of Naruto's pranks. Still, if it was Iruka he'd better not miss it. "Looks like I'm going." He stood up from the bar, laying down a small tip and smoothing back his unsmoothable hair. What information could come from Iruka that no other ninja of a higher rank couldn't tell him?

He decided to arrive at the meeting place early. If it were Naruto he'd catch him in the act. If not, he would arrive just the same.

* * *

Iruka ate dinner fretfully. Why had Kakashi done that? Especially during class, he hadn't been able to focus on teaching at all afterwards. Because of his absent-mindedness two students had caught on fire. It hadn't appeared to be a ruse though. Iruka's skin tingled as he remembered the full of Kakashi's tough, lean arms around his middle….

"What am I thinking? If I don't get a move on I'm going to be late!" Iruka jerked up from his chair, nearly upsetting his bowl of noodles. He cast a temporary jutsu to remove the currently-permanent blush from his cheeks, and headed out the door.

Kakashi noticed Iruka's arrival with surprise. He hadn't actually thought the note to be sincere. He might as well see what the trouble was.

"Good evening Iruka." Kakashi emerged cheerfully from the forest, his posture relaxed and his smile bright. As he came closer Iruka's obvious nervousness made him pause. "Is something wrong?" Kakashi's mind ran through the possibilities. The Hokage did trust Iruka, it could be a message he wasn't sure another Jounin would safely keep secret.

Iruka couldn't believe Kakashi's nerve, pretending nothing had happened. "What's wrong?" His calm demeanor was at its limit. Only the barest threads of ninja training kept his voice normal. "Everything about today has been wrong. What you did this morning, my reaction to it. Kakashi, why exactly did you want me to meet you here?" Iruka met Kakashi's gaze, confusion and anger warring with each other in a painfully obvious manner.

Kakashi's first reaction to Iruka's speech was puzzlement. This morning? Kakashi had spent all morning with Sakura and Sasuke. Then Naruto had showed up later with the message and…. Kakashi twitched internally. Brat indeed. As if to confirm his inner suspicions Kakashi suddenly picked up on a chakra signature that could belong to no other then his student to the right of Iruka and himself.

"Iruka, what did I do this morning?" Kakashi kept his own voice steady. Unfortunately for Iruka the jutsu hiding his brilliant red cheeks had worn off, so as Iruka searched for the words to describe what Kakashi had done they flared up again.

"What did you do? As best I could tell you…you….you were hitting on me! Like I was one the girls in your novels!" Kakashi was knocked momentarily speechless. Of all the things Naruto could do he did that? Played matchmaker? With Iruka and himself? An antic like that was listed nowhere within Kakashi's psychological profile of Uzumaki, but it's also possible a thirteen year old wouldn't know what he was doing to his teacher using Kakashi's face. Still, he knew Naruto was watching, and so, Kakashi being foolish and more then a little perverted, he played along.

"Nothing more? That is a shame." Kakashi once again closed the distance between himself and the chunin rapidly, mentally willing Iruka not to notice Naruto and so lose the moment. "I'll have to fix that." Kakashi slipped his arm's around Iruka's torso and pulled his colleague to him. "You know Iruka, you're slightly shorter than me. I like that." Tilting Iruka's head up with one hand he was shocked by the yearning he saw in Iruka's eyes, and even more by his own response. He had never looked close enough at Iruka to see how handsome, how expressive, how damned sexy he was.

Kakashi reached behind his head with his other hand and undid his facemask, undoing it carefully so that Iruka never saw the bottom half of Kakashi's face before he found himself captured by Kakashi's lips. The next few moments moved like a dream, Iruka bending into Kakashi's embrace, his arms fastening themselves around Kakashi's neck and drawing him further into the kiss, his tongue beginning to penetrate Kakashi's mouth. Kakashi's hands began to roam, examining Iruka's finely toned chest and shoulders, realizing that those buckles could be gone before Iruka even realized he was naked. Iruka's hands gripped at Kakashi's hair, pulling him even farther down and below the waves of lust.

Then, fortunately (or unfortunately) for both of them a slight rustle of nearby bushes reminded Kakashi of their audience, and he reluctantly pulled himself away from Iruka's grip, quickly redoing his mask.

The red haze before Iruka's vision faded as Kakashi unlinked his arms. His blood was racing, his face flushed. Thought returned with the realization of what he had just done. His heart beat did not slow with remembrance, but hastened. Those luscious lips clamped onto his, sucking away his breath, his willpower…Iruka shook his head madly. How could he be thinking such things? After that kiss, how could he not be?

"Kakashi…we…you…I…" Iruka had no control of his speech. There were so many things begging to escape. 'Kakashi, this is wrong!' or 'What the hell are you trying to pull' or a very urgent, noticeable part of Iruka wanted to demand 'Why are we still here, dressed, and not on your bed!'.

"Iruka, I think you should go back to your room. I'll see you tomorrow." Kakashi commanded. Iruka was obviously in no condition to be stressing himself further, and Kakashi wasn't sure how much longer he could resist simply jumping him. Iruka nodded numbly and stumbled back to his quarters. Maybe this was all a dream.

Naruto was frozen. Kakashi had… then Iruka had… and they both…! Somehow he felt his plan wasn't going as he'd hoped. Seeing his teacher's caught in a wild, passionate embrace did not feel like revenge. Actually, it felt like someone was getting revenge on him, though for what he wasn't sure. Did this mean Iruka was gay? He'd never seen Iruka with a girlfriend certainly, but Iruka was a ninja, that didn't mean much. Surely not Kakashi though, he was always reading those porn books!

"Look who's playing peeping tom." Naruto jumped and spun a full 180 to end up facing an amazingly annoyed Kakashi. At the moment Kakashi's face was more frightening then every fox demon in the world.

"Oh crap."


	2. Chapter 2

A. Don't own Naruto, general disclaimer, etc.

B. After seeing that people actually enjoyed the first chapter I searched through my old dusty files to see what I could find, and this is all I've located right now but I'm working on the rest. Its in a file format that my computer doesn't accept anymore, but that's what converters are for. Thank you everyone who has said they want more!

* * *

Naruto woke the next morning bruised and stiff. Kakashi had...persuaded him to explain everything, this persuasion including being knocked about the head multiple times under the excuse of "enforcing the ninja skill of sensibility and not being damn stupid.". Still, as disgusting as it had been to watch his teachers lock lips (Naruto still had the playground idea that kissing of any kind spread cooties), it might be excellent blackmail! He would turn things around! After all, he was Naruto Uzumaki!

Iruka's dream that night proved the earlier evening to have been reality. He had not experienced such vivid dreams since he was 16 and barely a chunin. A fit, scantily clad Kakashi had featured in all of them too. His bright, mischievous eye, that mop of silvery hair, the rich, teasing voice that somehow had a direct connection to Iruka's pleasure centers...Iruka spent several hours in a cold shower, trying to figure out if he needed an exorcism or a lap dance. When the only conclusion he could come to was that the kiss had been satisfying, and he hadn't been under a genjutsu, Iruka decided it would be better to concentrate on the days work. He had been excused from teaching in order to complete a mission. The Hokage wished to meet with him late-morning to explain the details, so he'd better get some sleep. Perhaps it would be a good distraction. Before drifting into unconsciousness' the last thought which occurred to him was that he, Iruka, was in for some interesting times.

Kakashi ended up sleeping more peacefully than either Naruto or Iruka. He simply decided to accept what had happened and deal with it in the morning. No reason to lose precious sleep over a kiss. Not even one so delicious at that. Plus he was sure Iruka was worrying enough for the both of them. Poor, innocent Iruka.

* * *

After a session of jumping roofs in which Iruka was so off balance he thought he might be end up the first chunin to ever fall off one, Iruka entered the Hokage's office with as much confidence as he could muster. His skin was lackluster, and bags sat under his eyes from lack of sleep. Even his ponytail suffered, drooped and raggedy.

"Sir, I'm here to receive my mission."

"Iruka, I have a mission for you. It shouldn't take over a few days, but there's a slight possibility of outside ninja interference, thus its a B ranking."

"I'll be careful sir."

"Good, I want you to travel to the village of the mist and retrieve a scroll for me. I sent word ahead about your arrival, don't worry."

"I'll leave as soon as I'm packed then."

"I would prefer you come back alive, so there's no hurry." The Hokage's slight smirk, and raised eyebrow said everything. Iruka was disoriented enough to have forgotten one of the basic principles he himself taught. Don't hurry when preparing for a cross-country mission unless absolutely necessary. "And if you aren't back by sunrise of the fifth day I'm sending someone after you."

"Yes sir." Iruka's cheeks flickered in his embarrassment, and he was glad to be out of that office.

Iruka was prepared, if not overly eager, to leave by mid-afternoon. He deciphered from the Hokage's instructions that the scroll was probably a discovery made from a dead ninja's body. That was, after all, the Village of the Mist's main function. It was a positive sign that his village was bargaining for such things again, it foretold a near future with more diplomacy between the two villages and less all out blood shed.

Iruka nodded to himself, evidently pleased and now more eager to be off. A vacation away from his problems, that's what this would be, especially the matter of Kakashi. (Not that the thought of Kakashi currently brought to mind twined bodies and feral sounds and….no, he wouldn't think about that!) He should tell Naruto not to meet him tonight for ramen though.

* * *

When Naruto saw Iruka approaching he nearly panicked. Had Kakashi told him? He appeared calm…Oh! Iruka was holding a bowl of ramen! What had he to worry about?

"Hey, Iruka! You going to eat that yourself?"

"Naruto, just who I was looking for."

"What's up Sensei? You don't look like you had much sleep." 'Play innocent, play innocent' echoed in Naruto's head as he smiled up at Iruka.

"I'm fine. Unfortunately, I'm canceling tonight's dinner. I have a mission to go on, so here's some Instant Ramen. I'm well aware its not as good, but you've survived worse."

"Thank you! And Sensei, is Kakashi going with you? He said he wouldn't be teaching us for the next few days." Naruto knew he was playing with fire. Iruka's face morphed to a rich red within seconds.

"K-K-Kakashi? Why would he be coming with me? I'm a Chunin, and he's a Jonin! Besides, I'm fine by myself for such a small task. Unlike you low-class genin."

"Sensei!" Naruto tackled Iruka, trying to push him to the ground. Iruka shoved him off, laughing.

" I'll be back soon. It's a very minor mission." Once Iruka was out of sight Naruto frowned. If Kakashi wasn't traveling with Iruka, what was he doing?

* * *

Kakashi, in actuality, was waiting outside the Hokage's office. He happened to feel like taking the rest of the week off. No teaching for him. It wasn't official until he informed the Hokage, but he'd hinted about it to his students.

"Come in Kakashi." Kakashi sauntered into the office, emitting respect, nonchalance, and pure and total mischief at the same time.

"I've come to ask your permission for several days away from the village to pursue a mission of my own."

"Do you have a substitute for your genin?" The Hokage knew and trusted Kakashi enough to let some small amount of surprises modulate his voice. Kakashi rarely asked for personal time. Loyalty to the village was an admirable trait, but Kakashi had avoided time off for so long that some wondered about his mental health.

"They'll be studying with Gai. Rock Lee ought to inspire them to work harder, if not wax their eyebrows."

"I see no reason then to deny you your request. You certainly don't vacation much." The Hokage scrawled out a quick scroll relieving Kakashi of his shinobi duties for the next week and held it out to the obviously grinning Jonin.

"Thank you."

"And Kakashi?" For the first time in the entire conversation the Hokage looked up from the papers on his desk.

"Yes?"

"I sent Iruka to the Village of the Mist."

"Indeed." Kakashi affected an aura of boredom, pulling out the latest volume of Icha Icha Paradise.

"His mission should not be particularly dangerous, but there's no reason he couldn't use some back up to avoid trouble."

"Is that so?"

"Keep in mind Kakashi, I know all that happens in my village. Just don't give Naruto too many ideas. You may go now."

Kakashi left in a mood a great deal more positive than the one he'd started with.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine!

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I feel so complimented that so many people have taken the time to read my work! Sorry it took so long to update, I've had it done for the past two weeks but every time I tried to update I kept getting "Fanfiction error 2".

* * *

After Kakashi left the office the Hokage set aside his paperwork and sighed heavily, glancing out the window to watch Kakashi jauntily leave the building. "Kakashi will catch up to him by tomorrow, I should think. Nonetheless, do me a favor and monitor communications from the Village of the Mist especially closely for the next several days." A trusted jonin who lay constantly concealed in a compartment in the Hokage's wall tapped his fingers to his forehead in acknowledge. Once he had left the Hokage traced the map on his desk, noting the route Iruka and Kakashi would take, and wondering if it would intersect with any of the unusual activity his scouts had noted expanding from the north of the Village of the Mist, from the Village of the Stone.

* * *

Iruka's first day of travel was uneventful. Like all ninjas, once he'd been graduated to chunin he had made a point to memorize any map concerning land that lay within two or three hundred miles of the Leaf Village. Using this internal imagery and a compass he stayed on track, making good distance and enjoying the mindlessness of travel. Any decent ninja sinks into a state of pure sensory awareness when he is traveling long distances. In Iruka's case this was his salvation from contemplating things back at the village that he would have to deal with later and he appreciated that. The weather was gorgeous, the ground firm and perfect for running, Iruka could find nothing to compain of. The next several days were going to be a break, the metaphorical calm before the storm.

* * *

Iruka was one hundred percent wrong. As Iruka drifted in a state more subtle then full consciousness Kakashi had begun his own journey. He had, perhaps, packed less minimally then he should have. Iruka would certainly scold him, teacher that he was. Kakashi's face relaxed as he chuckled internally. No matter how relaxed he was or how delighted he felt at this venture his jonin training trumped anything that gave his presence away such as laughing externally.

Kakashi estimated that Iruka was approximately three hours ahead of him. He knew he could cover this difference quickly and quietly. While Iruka was doing an excellent job hiding his path from other ninja of his own level, Kakashi's skills and experience were far superior. But that's why chunin were sent only for mid-grade missions. Rarely did a chunin have to worry about a jonin from their own village stalking them, grinning pleasantly as they did so. Iruka, Kakashi felt, might actually be a first and he should be complimented by the fact.

Kakashi stuck to ground level travel until he sensed himself within a half hour from Iruka's position. The sun was approximately an hour from setting by this point. Kakashi suspected Iruka would be stopping for the night, the area they were currently in was not one visited often and there was very little danger to a well secured and well hidden camp here.

* * *

At that moment Iruka was in the process of coming to a similar conclusion. Occasionally he'd recognized that eerie feeling that someone was watching him, following him, but it always faded as soon as he recognized it. He never spotted anyone else physically or through a charka signature so he didn't let it worry him. He'd done the calculations mentally, if he stopped for the night he would be probably nine hours travel from the arranged meeting point. It was to the south-west outside the Village of the Mist at one of their outposts. He hadn't been there before personally but it was not an uncommon stopping point for Konoha ninja during times of peace with the Rain County. So all in all four days travel assuming everything went smoothly, and assuming that the Ame ninja offered him a place to stay for the night when he arrived (as was polite for a non-urgent cross-county mission). He wished he could have brought Naruto with him on this mission, the boy would have enjoyed the change in scenery and it might have inspired in him a little more respect for the education provided by his pseudo-father to see his lessons in action. Iruka sighed, stopping momentarily to scan his surroundings. It looked like in a half a mile he'd come to a small clearing, that would do. He had packed basic rations, those plus a fire would make for a decent night. Iruka then reflected that when a night of tasteless food, sleeping on the ground, and listening for intruders looking to interrupt the mission was more peaceful and quiet then a night back in the home village life was too complicated.

* * *

When Kakashi came upon the same small clearing Iruka had been working with speed and efficiency. He had erected a dome of rock and earth using tortoise-shell-no-jutsu, hollowed out a door, and placed trip wires and alarm jutsu around the area of the camp to alert of any human intruders. Kakashi stood an inch out of range of the alarm jutsu, contemplating how best to enter. Dismantling all of Iruka's hard work would be rude, but so would scaring the living hells out of him by setting the alarms off. Finally the jonin settled on tripping one of the quieter alarms, a subtle mechanism that gave off no more sound then the voice of a bird non-native to the land. It was a creative piece, Kakashi had to admire it. He made the mental note to teach it to his genin once he was back in Konoha. Sasuke and Sakura both would find relief in using it to warn them when naruto was entering to disrupt their studies.

* * *

Iruka was in the process of setting some water to boil and making a rudimentary meal of rice balls and soup when he froze. Someone was there. The call of a song bird only found in the lightning country rang clearly through the woods. Iruka carefully assembled his weaponry and concealed himself; blending into the stone three feet to the right of his make shift entrance. He didn't know why another ninja would be interested in this mission, and he could find that out after he captured the intruder and forced the information from him. He readied loops of a thick metal wire that not only would physically restrain his enemy but would dampen his or her ability to use charka. Training kept his pulse low, his breathing steady, and when he felt the slight breeze of a concealed body ghost through the door he leapt into action. The wire slipped around a torso, Iruka tightened it, and suddenly the concealing jutsu was gone. A masked, bushy haired, smirking jonin was staring at him.

"Hey Iruka, bad timing?"

Iruka briefly wondered if killing a ninja from his own village would be permissible in these circumstances.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Kakashi was untied and happily adding some of his extra supplies, all food related, into Iruka's previously boiling soup. This included chicken and a large number of fresh vegetable, Iruka was dumbfounded. Kakashi shows up at his doorstep, trips his alarm, and now was helping make dinner? That means the person he'd sensed following him, ever so briefly, was also Kakashi. This meant Kakashi had set forth this direction solely to join him. Iruka's brain was not handling the conclusion of his days travel very well. He realized there was no escape now; Kakashi could find him even if he tried to sneak away on his watch while Kakashi was asleep. Resignation, the chunin faced, was not a fun or productive emotion but it was necessary.

"So a scroll from a body huh?" Kakashi sat back against the dome's wall, now expecting Iruka to do all the work since he'd so generously provided new ingredients. He unwrapped a warmed riceball and bit into it, making noises of enjoyment. "Think its one of ours?" Iruka shook his head slowly, while the Hokage had not directly said in person or in writing where the scroll's origin lay he doubted it was a leaf ninja.

"If it was one of our men and the Village of the Mist had his body the Hokage would sent two people, one to bring the scroll back quickly and one to bring the body back at a slightly slower pace." Kakashi gave Iruka a serious, measured look in return.

"You think so? On some of my missions we've asked our allies to cremate them when they're found. We might be bringing back a jar of ashes." Kakashi said this with no emotion, merely another observation of ninja life. Iruka, however, twitched slightly, enough of a cringe that Kakashi didn't volunteer anything else on the matter. Iruka understood that due to his teaching it had been an abnormally long time since he'd had to face those particulars of the lifestyle. Shadows of anger crossed his face as he remembered other realities that he faced every day, his students... Iruka caught Kakashi watching him and stopped that line of thought. Back to the here and now. Iruka had more immediate problems, such as dealing with the jonin who might have every intention of sexually harassing him in his sleep. Maybe. Possibly. _Hopefully?_ his subconcious added rebelliously.

Kakashi was ahead of him in deciding that the time for subtly was over. "Did you know that the me that visited you the other day was actually Naruto? Before the kiss, obviously. That runt could not have used his tongue with any of my skill." Iruka was so surprised that it took him almost ten seconds to start blushing at the latter section of Kakashi's statement.

"Naruto? Why...Are you sure?"

Kakashi nodded solemnly, "He was under the impression that instead of falling for my charm you would use your almighty teacher punishing skills on me yesterday evening instead."

Surprisingly that made more sense to Iruka then any other reason he could imagine. "You must have been working him pretty hard recently for him to try something that desperate." Iruka let himself emit a small grin as he realized Naruto considered his wrath the most frightening wrath of all.

"Of course I have." Kakashi pulled out two bowls from his bag, indicating that the soup was probably done and he had no intention of staying hungry any longer. "He has a lot of talent, all of them do." He handed them to Iruka, looking at him expectantly. Iruka took them with an expression of yet more resignation and ladled an even mixture of broth and meat into each bowl. He handed one to Kakashi, who took it gingerly and professionally whipped out his chopsticks.

"Sakura is the most even headed, she'll have the most normal ninja career. In class she fell victim to the expectation that girls should be fawning over the popular boys, but I think she'll grow out of it. If she and Ino could ever stand to work together again it could make an excellent kunoichi team." Kakashi was looking at Iruka like he'd grown an extra head. "Ah, I guess you don't pay attention to the students personal affairs."

"More specifically those of female teenagers."

"Ah." They sat in silence for a moment, pondering their respective job and teaching differences.

"Naruto, however, is not going to have an easy time of it." Kakashi stated clearly, once again not voicing an opinion so much as a fact. He also brought back to Iruka's memory the fact that the starter of this conversation had revolved around Kakashi's aptitude for tongue manipulation and he blushed once more to Kakashi's great amusement. Kakashi decided to give him a break.

"I'll take first watch, you take second? We could both get four hours that way." Iruka agreed, standing up to quickly wash out the bowls before settling down and feeling relieved that he had escaped without more embarrassment.

Well, nearly.

Kakashi had placed himself in front of Iruka, staring him down, the difference in expertise between the chunin and jonin feeling more apparent then ever as he stood in Kakashi's shadow.

"Iruka." Kakashi said softly, his visible eye holding Iruka's gaze steady. "I don't know why you've caught my attention. I barely know you beyond our connection from Naruto. But I plan to figure this out." He tilted Iruka's head up gently. This time Iruka caught a glimpse of soft pink lip as Kakashi pulled down his mask before their mouths met and Iruka's body burst into flame yet again. This kiss, however, was different. Kakashi kissed him softly, letting Iruka absorb the warmth and texture of Kakashi's lip, the taste of broth on his tongue. Iruka wasn't sure which kiss was the greater torture. Kakashi broke away and Iruka gaped, his heart pounding as no ninja should ever let their heart pound.

"You never denied my talent at kissing earlier. I'm going to keep assuming you want more." Kakashi lightly traced his finger across the scar on Iruka's nose, fondly memorizing its shape and lay across his face. Then as Iruka stood frozen Kakashi walked outside to his position on watch, calm as could be. Damn.

* * *

Later that night, while Kakashi stood on watch and Iruka was finally sleeping after a half hour of staring at the rock ceiling, Kakashi contemplated. Iruka looked so peaceful, so amazingly innocent of the burdens of ninja-hood. Some ninjas would act happy, act carefree, but you could tell when their kernel was ice and stone. Iruka meant it though. He was one of the most cheerful, most optimistic leaders in the village. It shone through him. Now that Kakashi was seeing him shirtless and asleep he added sexiest that list of adjectives too. Maybe that was what attracted him so thoroughly, and even more importantly what made him pursue the attraction. He attempted to keep his thoughts down to the most minor Icha-icha levels but had a hard time of it.

Thankfully he distracted himself by backtracking to their earlier conversation. His previous statement hadn't been entirely true. He had two significant memories of Iruka outside of their student connection. One when Iruka's parents died, Kakashi had gone to the funeral which was a little abnormal for the younger Kakashi. The other was when Iruka had just started his teaching career...

Five years ago...

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Iruka?" Kakashi sat beside the chunin at a local bar. Iruka had obviously downed a few; his cheeks were pink and his eyes unfocused. Kakashi had swung by for a short drink but stopped when he sensed the obvious confusion emanating from the smaller ninja. That and if Iruka sunk into too deep a level of drunkenness he was liable to do something dumb. An exceedingly drunk ninja was never a good thing. Ever.

"Did you have any students this year?"

"No, they didn't make it past my initial genin exam, even if they made it past yours. Not ninja material at all." Kakashi didn't mean offense, but he only wanted prepared students.

"Oh, ok." Iruka looked back down at his glass, evidencing that it was too empty for him.

"So what's with the sudden interest in bar hopping?" Kakashi kept his voice level, not wanting to alarm the unsteady chunin.

"Did you hear the toll for this year's chunin exam?" Iruka's voice cracked.

"No. I know we had a few losses, but it happens every year, nothing new."

"Nine students died. Three entire teams were killed in the second and third rounds."

"But most of the students that survived passed."

"Nine students Kakashi! I taught them, I helped them grow, I increased their knowledge of the ninja way, and it brought them death." Kakashi immediately directed his full attention towards Iruka. He'd never heard Iruka talk like this. Of course, Iruka's teaching career had only begun two years ago; this was the first chunin exam he'd ever seen his students run through. Kakashi nearly sympathized, it was probably like committing his first assassination all over again, but it was what Iruka had asked for when he became Sensei, responsibility of the highest degree. That was the trouble with getting to know ninja's personally, you saw more funerals then you did birthdays.

Kakashi peered into his cup, and seeing Iruka disappear yet another shot glass, decided against drinking it. Iruka would need someone to support him on his way home.

"Well, Iruka, they knew the risks. Better dead quickly in the tests then slowly and painfully on the field."

"Who cares what they supposedly knew? They were barely teenagers! Teenagers think they're immortal! And they're still dead! All of them dead...my parents...my students..." 'My friends' Kakashi's mind added. He'd faced this reality long ago, when Obito had died. "Is there any use to caring?"

"Come on Iruka, let's get you home." Iruka didn't protest when Kakashi had helped him off the stool, or when he forced him to wobble unsteadily to the other side of the village to his house. "You'll feel better in the morning, though you're going to have one awful hangover. You should stick to light drinking." Iruka hadn't mentioned that conversation since, so Kakashi assumed Iruka didn't remember or was embarrassed by it. At the time it didn't really matter to him. Now though... Kakashi might bring it up later...

With a shrug Kakashi went into to wake up Iruka to take over. They had four more days without interference. Kakashi wasn't going to let another day go by without getting Iruka's feedback, no matter how much he had to tease the poor man. Kakashi felt not even the greatest icha-icha novel written was going to compare to this adventure.


End file.
